Ms Davidson was elected as leader of the Scottish Conservatives in 2011 after opposing a similar plan put forward by rival Murdo Fraser, now the party’s finance spokesman.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme, he said: “I saw that piece in the Telegraph with some interest and it rang some bells for some things I said a few years ago but I’m assured that there’s not a lot of truth in this particular story.”

Ms Davidson has said she has received assurances from the Prime Minister over gay rights should the Tories do a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party, and has urged Mrs May to put the economy first by pursuing an “open” Brexit.

FLAG FUSS

'sickening'

He repeated calls for the SNP to “drop indyref2” in the wake of the party losing 21 Westminster seats, including those of former first minister Alex Salmond and SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has conceded her plans for a second vote were “undoubtedly” a factor in the result and has said she will reflect on the results.

Scotland’s Finance and Constitution Secretary Derek Mackay, who directed the SNP’s election campaign, told the same programme: “The First Minister has said that she’ll reflect on the result but the fact that another Tory government that Scotland has not elected will rule over us with policies that Scotland just doesn’t support I think has been another lesson on why Scotland should have a choice.

“Of course we’ll listen and reflect, it’s too premature to say what we’ll do next around that.”